Contradictory Conservation: The Role of Leadership in Shaping Energy Efficiency Culture in Urban Residential Cooperative Buildings
In addition to formalized leadership roles within organizations, leadership can also influence members through informal channels. This work argues that multifamily residential buildings can be viewed as organizations and, as such, explores the influence that informal leaders can wield in shaping cul...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/3/648 |
| _version_ | 1797406655551373312 |
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| author | Elizabeth Hewitt |
| author_facet | Elizabeth Hewitt |
| author_sort | Elizabeth Hewitt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In addition to formalized leadership roles within organizations, leadership can also influence members through informal channels. This work argues that multifamily residential buildings can be viewed as organizations and, as such, explores the influence that informal leaders can wield in shaping culture around the motivation for conserving energy. This work draws on qualitative fieldwork conducted in a Brooklyn cooperative building. Findings indicate that the study building benefitted from the leadership of a long-standing board member, which contributed to the implementation of a number of energy efficiency initiatives. Interestingly, this leadership also led to a culture of cost efficiency over environmental concern as the motivating force behind these initiatives. This narrative was well disseminated, with most residents reporting that the building does <i>not</i> have a culture of conservation, despite a strong energy efficiency leaning. Thus, this work posits that leadership can greatly shape perception and culture around energy but can also be leveraged to craft a more environmentally-motivated conservation culture. It also argues that leadership can be complementary to decentralized organizational structures, and that creative mechanisms in residential buildings can capitalize on both, allowing members at all levels of the organization more influence in shaping the building’s culture. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:29:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a2aa30997d01446aaf0296c849e1284b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:29:41Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-a2aa30997d01446aaf0296c849e1284b2023-12-03T14:58:08ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-01-0114364810.3390/en14030648Contradictory Conservation: The Role of Leadership in Shaping Energy Efficiency Culture in Urban Residential Cooperative BuildingsElizabeth Hewitt0Department of Technology and Society, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS), Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USAIn addition to formalized leadership roles within organizations, leadership can also influence members through informal channels. This work argues that multifamily residential buildings can be viewed as organizations and, as such, explores the influence that informal leaders can wield in shaping culture around the motivation for conserving energy. This work draws on qualitative fieldwork conducted in a Brooklyn cooperative building. Findings indicate that the study building benefitted from the leadership of a long-standing board member, which contributed to the implementation of a number of energy efficiency initiatives. Interestingly, this leadership also led to a culture of cost efficiency over environmental concern as the motivating force behind these initiatives. This narrative was well disseminated, with most residents reporting that the building does <i>not</i> have a culture of conservation, despite a strong energy efficiency leaning. Thus, this work posits that leadership can greatly shape perception and culture around energy but can also be leveraged to craft a more environmentally-motivated conservation culture. It also argues that leadership can be complementary to decentralized organizational structures, and that creative mechanisms in residential buildings can capitalize on both, allowing members at all levels of the organization more influence in shaping the building’s culture.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/3/648residential buildingsenergy efficiencyleadershipbehaviororganizational culture |
| spellingShingle | Elizabeth Hewitt Contradictory Conservation: The Role of Leadership in Shaping Energy Efficiency Culture in Urban Residential Cooperative Buildings Energies residential buildings energy efficiency leadership behavior organizational culture |
| title | Contradictory Conservation: The Role of Leadership in Shaping Energy Efficiency Culture in Urban Residential Cooperative Buildings |
| title_full | Contradictory Conservation: The Role of Leadership in Shaping Energy Efficiency Culture in Urban Residential Cooperative Buildings |
| title_fullStr | Contradictory Conservation: The Role of Leadership in Shaping Energy Efficiency Culture in Urban Residential Cooperative Buildings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Contradictory Conservation: The Role of Leadership in Shaping Energy Efficiency Culture in Urban Residential Cooperative Buildings |
| title_short | Contradictory Conservation: The Role of Leadership in Shaping Energy Efficiency Culture in Urban Residential Cooperative Buildings |
| title_sort | contradictory conservation the role of leadership in shaping energy efficiency culture in urban residential cooperative buildings |
| topic | residential buildings energy efficiency leadership behavior organizational culture |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/3/648 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elizabethhewitt contradictoryconservationtheroleofleadershipinshapingenergyefficiencycultureinurbanresidentialcooperativebuildings |